$247.82

[caption id="attachment_3508" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Jennifer and Rachel at birthday party #3 for Ellie."][/caption]

Our Go Fish fund is up to $1875.82!!!  Plus the fish that was bought outright from the hospital for $500.  Amazing.  We are overwhelmed.  Will let you know next Wednesday what our grand total is.

Here is a letter from my brilliant, funny, amazing friend, Jennifer, that I wanted to share with you all.  I just love the wisdom her children brought to the whole

When I heard about your request for contributions to dedicate a fish at the hospital in Ellie's memory, I was moved by how fitting at tribute it seemed.  I knew I would want to contribute and shared your plans with a few people close to me.  My friend, Faith, also wanted to contribute and there's a check from her enclosed.  Also enclosed is a check from the McKeags and, as you can see, it's for an unusual amount.  Wait until you hear why.

On one afternoon I told Kate that Ellie had died.  Kate doesn't remember meeting Ellie, but I told her about the time we all were together at Betsy C.'s house and how she nibbled on Ellie's chips and how she watched Ellie with her books.  It was a good talk.  I told Kate about the fish memorial and Kate said, "That's the perfect thing for me to buy with my money."

Kate always manages to find coins around the house and saves them in her Tzedaka box.  Tzedaka is Hebrew for charity.  Usually people put money in a Tzedaka box when they notice their own blessing and then they can share that charity with others when the time arises.  Kate finds everything a blessing and puts all her money in her Tzedaka box.

We tipped out the money from the Tzedaka box and found that it contained $22.82.  First I thought, "How do we have that much loose change around the house? We need to keep better track of our change!"  And then I asked Kate, "How much do you want to give to help buy Ellie's fish?"

Kate told me she wanted to give all of it because, "Mom she died.  I'm not dead so I'll get more money later."  Yep, in her own way, she captured the whole point!

Another afternoon I told Rachel about the fish memorial.  We'd already talked about Ellie a lot and Rachel was immediately excited about this opportunity.  She had already decided to give a significant amount of her Bat Mitzvah gift money to a worthy cause and she thought the fish was a perfect choice.

The money from her Bat Mitzvah is for Rachel's future--college, travel, whatever life brings her.  She talked about how it's representative of all the children whose lives are too short and who don't get to do all their families might have planned for them to accomplish.  She thought for several days about what amount she could give and decided on $200.

So, the enclosed check is for $247.82 from all the McKeags with so much love and warmth.  We hope to see the picture of the fish and know that the world was changed by Ellie's life and that it continues to be impacted by her now.